Flower rack for burial caskets



March 11 1924, mwm

A. M CLAIN Patented ll/iar. ll, 192 3.

ALLEN MCOLAIN, or Xnnm, OHIO.

FLOWER RACK EOE BURIAL GASKETS.

Application filed April 22, 1919. Serial No. 291,873.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN MGCLAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Xenia, in the county of Green and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flower Racks for Burial Caskets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to undertaking api pliances, and particularly tomeans for temporarily supporting flowers, especially those floral pieces known as sprays, upon and around a burial casket.

The object of the invention is to simplify the structure, as well as the means and mode of applying and engagin such devices,

whereby they will not only be cheapened in construction but will be more eflicient in use, easily and quickly applied to and disengaged from a burial casket, strong, light in weight, compact in form, easily nested for transportation, and unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting rack which will be entirely concealed when in use by the supported flowers, and which will have no unsightly braces, or other attachment means visible upon the exterior of the casket.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in View as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a per spective view of a portion of a burial casket to which a number of the supporting racks forming the subject matter hereof have been applied. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the supporting racks as applied to the side or end of the casket. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a rack applied to the end of a casket. Figs. 4: and 5 are perspective views of the racks disengaged from the burial casket.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several news.

The disposition of large floral pieces about a burial casket in such manner as to aflord the most harmonious and pleasing display of the flowers presents great dificulties. It

\ is frequently desirable to conceal the burial casket itself in a bank of flowers or to arrange the flowers in such way as to suggest a floral couch rather than a burial casket. The present invention is designed to facilitate such arrangement and disposition of flowers, by supporting them substantially coincident with the top edge of the sides and ends of the casket, and also, in those caskets of the couch type which have hinged lids, to enable the disposition of the flowers about the upper edge of the upright lid. This end is accomplished by means of concave wire shelves or pallets having means thereon for engaging them within the lining or upholstering of the casket or lid, or to otherwise detaohably connect them with the casket by concealed attachment means. As disclosed in the drawings the rack or support comprises a wire loop 1 of a narrow elongated form. While the ends of this loop 7 5 have been shown elliptical in form it is obvious that the particular shape is not essential. The ends of the loop 1 however are curved out of the plane of the side lengths of the loop to form a hollowed or concave supporting body. This concavity of the supporting body, particularly at the ends of the loop 1 does not clearly appear in the perspective views, but is plainly disclosed in the end views 2 and 3. Extending across the elongated loop 1 are transverse ties or arms 2-2 which are also curved out of the plane of the side portions of the loop and agree in curvature with the depression of the ends of the loop. For general purposes two of such cross ties are found sufficient. However in the event the support is of extreme length, or is to be used for special floral or other pieces or decorations, a greater number of such. cross ties may be embodied. The cross ties 22 are extended beyond the loop 1 preferably in a direction substantially parallel with the general plane of the support, as at 3, thus forming a rest portion adapted to engage the edge of the side or lid of the burial casket, the wire material forming such cross ties and rest portions being then bent to substantially right angles with the general plane of the supporting loop 1, and extended perpendicular to such supporting portion to form tines or legs 4- In applying the racks to the burial casket, the tines or legs 4 are thrust beneath the lining or trimming of the interior of the casket and through the upholstering 5, in which position they lie substantially in contact with the inner face of the casket side.

They are forced downward through the upholstering until the portions 8 rest upon the edge of the casket side. The supporting pallet formed by the loop 1 and the cross ties 2, when in adjusted position, projects outward beyond the side wall of the casket and slightly below the top edge thereof. The supporting racks intended for application to the end of the casket are preferably tilted somewhat by having the transverse portion 3 bent upward at a medial point whereby the flowers are turned somewhat forwardly to afford a pleasing appearance.

With this exception these racks for the ends of the casket are identical with those intended for application to the sides of the casket.

There is shown at 6 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 a modification of the attachment means whereby the rack may be supported upon the lid latch of couch caskets, or those in which the lid is hinged. In this form of device there is provided a pendant loop 7 of wire extend ing downward substantially at right angles to the plane of the supporting pallet which extends rearward over the edge of the lid. Connecting the lower side of the pendant loop 7 and the forward side of the loop 1 is a metal plate 8, having therein an eye or opening 9, to he engaged over the hook shaped latch usually found upon the lids of caskets of this type. The weight of the flowers upon the concave pallet tends to tilt the device upon the edge of the lid as a fulcrum thereby causing the bottom of the eye 9 to press firmly against the latch and so maintain the device in place. In most instances the floral pieces are loosely laid upon the curved or concave pallet, although in pieces of unusual size or design they may be tied or attached by short pieces of soft wire twisted about some part of the supporting rack. Flower supports to be mounted upon burial caskets are known in the art, but the device herein described is of simplified construction, and involves a new and different mode of attachment whereby the support is entirely concealed when in use, and presents other advantages not attainable with the forms of support heretofore known.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described, possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously, is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction or arrangement of parts, without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of'several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the in vention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention 1 claim;

1. Means for supporting flowers upon a burial casket, comprising an elongated wire loop, strands of wire arranged transversely of said loop, and connected to the opposite sides thereof, the resulting structure being depressed upon its longitudinal axis to form a channel like frame open at its ends, said strands being extended beyond said loop and angularly in relation therewith to form spaced standards, the structure being engageable with a casket with the standards and loop portion on opposite sides of the supporting portion of the casket, the standards being engageable within the casket to brace the flower supporting portion.

2. Means for supporting flowers upon a burial casket, comprising a bracket shelf for the flowers adapted to fulcrum upon the edge of the supporting portion of the casket, and angularly disposed legs to be projected beneath the upholstering of the casket to resist the tilting movement of the device upon the edge of the casket under themfluence of the weight of the flowers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of March, A. D 1919.

ALLEN MGCLAIN.

Witnesses:

E. E. DUNCAN, En. MILLER. 

